1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a personal authentication apparatus that registers biometric information unique to each individual person, and captures the person's biometric information anew when performing authentication, and checks it against the registered biometric information to authenticate the person.
2. Description of the Related Art
Facilities and equipment that require personal authentication for the opening and closing entrance doors of rooms or buildings or operating information processing devices in order to improve security or protect privacy have proliferated in recent years. For such authentication, code numbers have been widely used traditionally. In recent years, more secure personal authentication methods are becoming widespread in which sensors are provided to detect some biometric information unique to every individual, such as fingerprints or palm or pupil vein patterns, for performing personal authentication (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-85539 and No. 2004-112172).
A problem with a code number is that, if it is known to other person, the person can readily impersonate the holder of the code number. In contrast, personal authentication that relies on biometric information, which varies from person to person, can significantly reduce threat of impersonation.
However, because authentication relying on biometric information uses a technique in which a person's biometric information is registered beforehand and biometric information is checked against the registered biometric information during authentication, a malicious, illegitimate person may be authenticated as a legitimate person if the malicious person registers his or her biometric information. The problem is how to allow only legitimate individuals to be registered and how to reject registration of malicious, illegitimate individuals.